It is part of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences; however, it operates under its own board of directors with a global focus.

[3] The first International Emmy Awards, as we know them today, were carried out in 1973, and was organized by Ralph Baruch in a ceremony held at the Plaza Hotel in Manhattan.

Held each year in November at the Hilton Hotel in Midtown Manhattan,[5] the Gala attracts over 1,000 major figures in broadcast, entertainment and media from around the world.

[7] In general, any non-U.S. organization or individual (such as a network, a local or regional television station, producer, director, or writer) may submit a program, regardless of whether they are a member of the IATAS.

For shows that are co-produced between U.S. and foreign production companies, they may be eligible if they initially aired outside of the U.S., or if their broadcast dates were within a few days of each other.